Councillors to push for rate cut

Councillors to push for rate cut


Edwin McGreal

The majority of the members of Castlebar Town Council are to seek a reduction in rates businesses in the town must pay the Council at today’s (Tuesday) Annual Budget meeting of the authority as a trader in the town outlined his difficulty with the current rates.
It has emerged that the four Fine Gael councillors (Ger Deere, Noreen Heston, Brendan Henaghan and Eugene McCormack are seeking a rate cut of 5%, Mayor of the town Michael Kilcoyne is also seeking a cut in rates, Sinn Féin councillor Therese Ruane is broadly supportive of a cut while Independent councillor Frank Durcan is seeking a 10% cut.
“The reduction will send out a signal from the town council to the businesses of this town that they support them when times are tough,” Fine Gael councillor Ger Deere told The Mayo News.
Sinn Féin councillor Therese Ruane agrees that a reduction in rates would send out a ‘good message’ but feels small businesses should benefit most. A local trader told The Mayo News that rates must come down.